Vehicle jack



May 14, 1935. J. M. MADIGAN VEHICLE JACK Filed Sept. 13; 1-954 Patented May 14, 1935 vEmcLE JACK Joseph M. Madigan, Detroit, Mich. V V Application September 13, 1934, Serial No. 143,906

5 Claims. (c1. 254- 94) This invention relates-to a vehicle jack, one of the objects being to provide an efficient device of this character which does not require the use of manually operated means for raising a supported vehicle but, on the contrary, will lift a vehicle with the force exerted by the movement of a vehicle under its own power.

A further object is to provide a jack'which will grip any type of supporting surface without danger ofslipping, means being employed whereby the jack can be easily carried from one position to another.

A still further object is to provide the jack with a friction pad mounted in a novel manner which serves to prevent the jack from slipping during the initial portion of its lifting action.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the jack.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of the base of the jack.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the jack showing the pad expanded, as when subjected to a load.

Figure 5 is a' section through a portion of the base of a modified form of jack.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the base showing another modification.

Referring to the figuresby characters of reference, I designates a tubular standard having a yoke-like head 2 at its upper end. This standard is adapted to receive a screw 3 also provided with a yoke-like head 4. This screw can be used and adjusted to proper position where the jack is employed in connection with a vehicle having a high axle. Under many conditions, however, the screw can be removed and the yoke or head 2 can be brought into direct engagement with the vehicle axle.

The standard I is formed with or secured to a flat base 5 which merges into a forwardly and upwardly curved extension 6, thus forming a rocker the rear portion of which is formed by the base 5 and is straight. Braces I connect the curved portion of the rocker to the standard I I v and the bottom surface of the entire rocker can be'formed with transverse angular ribs 8 forbiting into a supportingsurface to prevent slipping.

I To facilitate handling of the jack ahandle'Sis 5 rocker at its raised or. forward end is a recess.

III the side wallsof which are toothed orv serrated as'shown particularly in Figure 2. L Seated in this recess is a pad II formed preferably of soft rubber and having side edges which are also toothed or serrated as shown at I2 but normally spaced from the sidewalls of recess II] as shown in Figure l. The pad can be held tothe rocker by means of an adhesive or rivets or any other well known means and is of such thickness as to normally extend downwardly beyond the ribs 8 on the rocker. This will be apparent by referring to Figure 1.

When it is desired to use the jack the same is positioned with the head 2 or the head 4 in contact with the axle to be lifted and with the forwardor front portion of the rocker in contact with the supporting surface. At this time the pad I I is in engagment with said surface so as to prevent the jack from slipping. The vehicle is then moved in such a direction as toshift the standard I into an upright position. This will cause the rocker to move to the position shown in Figure 1 and as the rocker is in effect a cam, such movement will result in exerting a lifting action which will elevate the engaged axle. When the timate engagement with the side walls of the recess II) as shown in Figure 4 so that the pad will thusbe held securely against slipping or tearing out of the recess I0.

Instead of attaching the pad directly to the rocker it can be fastened to a plate I3'which, in turn, can be secured to the rocker by means of screws I4 or the like. In this connection see Figure 5. This form of the invention will operate in the same way as the one already described.

In Figure 6 the entire rocker I5 is shown provided with a longitudinalrecess l6 having toothed or serrated side walls. seated in this recess throughout its length but is normally spaced from its side walls as shown in,

Figure 6. Obviously during the operation of this modified form a portion of the pad will always be p in contact with the supporting surface and as the pad is compressed by the load thereon it will be expanded laterally to frictionally engage the side walls of the recess in the same manner as has been described with reference to Figure 4.

What is claimed is:

1. A jack including a rocker having a straight end portion constituting a base, a standard upstanding from said base, an axle engaging portion on the standard, a recess in the bottom surface of the rocker at one end, said recess having serrated side walls, and a resilient pad seated in the recess and normally spaced from said walls, said pad being normally extended outwardly beyond the adjacent bottom surface of the rocker and being expansiblelaterally when subjected to. a load for engagement with the serrated walls,

expansible laterally into gripping engagement with thewalls of the recess'when the pad is subjectedto pressure from asupported load; 7 f

3. A jack including a rockerhaving a straight end portion, a standard upstanding from'said end portion; means thereon for engaging. an axle; a

compressible 'pad seated withinand normally; extending from one end portion of the rocker for jecting beyond the ribs, and cooperating serrations upon the pad and the rocker for holding the pad against displacement when subjected to aload.

5. A jack including a rocker having a straight end portion, a standard on said end portion, transverse ribs upon the bottom surface of the rocker, there being a longitudinal recess in the rocker intersecting thefribs, a resilient pad seated in the recess and normally extending beyond the ribs for engagement with a supporting surface, said pad being normally spaced from the side wails'foi the recess, and serrations upon said walls and the sides of the pad for cooperation tohold the padagainst longitudinal displacement when subjected to a load.

V JOSEPH" M. MADIGAN. 

